Going - Soft to Heavy. Overcast and dry
Jackpot Pool - 2,832.75 Dividend - 508.80 Winning Units - 3.93. Placepot Pool - 40,146.09 Dividend - 9.20 Winning Units - 3053.38. Days Aggregate - 184,805.90 Last Year 208,195.84
Honesty Policy open his account with promise of more to come
He's a nice horse. The further he goes I'd say the better he will be. In fairness, Aubrey (McMahon) bought him out of Pat Doyle's and recommended him to Fran (Mangan, owner), and I was lucky enough that they sent him to me. He had a good run the last day in Naas, and he followed up there today. We have no real plan, but I'd imagine he is going in the right direction. He will be a nice chaser down the road.
Tareze could be Cheltenham bound after Listed victory
Maxxum provides Elliott with fifth Boyne Hurdle win
He had a good run in Gowran the last day over three miles, probably didn't get home. We thought coming back to that trip today, if he got a soft enough lead, it would work well. Danny gave him a very clever ride and it was great. He did (battle well) - he picked up well, but he got a breather at the right time. We will probably go Coral Cup now I'd say.
Cawley nurses fragile Waittillitellyou back for another success
We had him fit to run, I suppose, in October, but he is a horse that broke down very badly on me as a five-year-old. I have to wait until I get his right ground - he loves it bottomless. I thought they would call it off that day he won in Cork, he can't have it deep enough. I thought it might be just too tacky for him here today because it is quite tacky. He was mighty through it, he absolutely loved it. He's a huge, big horse. If Fairyhouse at Easter turned up minimum soft, he might go there.
Better Days Ahead leads home an Elliott 1-2-3 in Grade 2 novice chase
Better Days Ahead wasn't doing a stroke in front. It wasn't ideal, he needs something to make it. Jordan (Gainford on Three Card Brag) took him along for as long as he could and probably ran a good race in his own right. I was thrilled with Stellar Story. He keeps guessing at his fences and I told Danny (Gilligan) to try and get him around and try to get a bit of confidence into him. He gave him a brilliant ride - probably a bit unlucky. Number one, we had to try and get him around. I'd imagine Brown Advisory for Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story could go Brown Advisory as well. Three Card Brag needed that run to qualify for the Aintree Grand National.
Verdant Place again shows his liking for Navan
He doesn't like it tacky, and it was a big worry coming here. He would be happier on ground that is getting softer rather than ground that is drying. Simon said they weren't going that deep in it which was a big help. Anything between soft and yielding he is fine on. It is great that he gets through it, and he loves it around here which is a big help. Simon was a lot happier with the way he jumped. We might come back here next month for the Listed race that he actually ran in last year. We'll see what the handicapper does with him and see what Frank (Berry) says. It looks like a good option for him. This season has been going great with him. He was a bit disappointing last season, but this season he is really back to himself and we have got a clear run with him. He is running away as well as expected.
Copacabana books his ticket for Cheltenham bumper
I think we'll have to buy the ticket now (Cheltenham bumper)! . He's a lovely, big, chasing type and I was looking forward to bringing him up here on this track. I thought he would show himself off well and he did. There was so much talk about so many horses before the race. It looked a very deep race and I'm very pleased for his owners. It looks like we will have to book a ticket for them for March. He hasn't been showing too much at home until lately. He is a big unit, and it has taken me plenty of time to get him right. Every time we asked him a question, he gave the right answers. We were getting very tight to qualifying for Cheltenham. He just answered that question nicely. He loved that type of ground. With his size and everything, I wouldn't like to campaign him on good ground for a while yet. He looks a horse that would need a nice dig in it.